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Thread: Female Leopard (Nzilu)

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    Default Female Leopard (Nzilu)

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    This is another image of Scotias' daughter. She is making a living in and around her mothers territory while mom is looking after her new litter. We were sitting in a sighting of our territorial male Leopard in a tree with a Impala kill as this young Leopardess approached. She semi-cautiously approached and then lay about 15 yards away at the base of the tree watching him feed. He payed her little to no attention at all.
    I don't often post wide images as I feel it's not one of my strengths but I kind of liked this one with the space around. It takes me back to the moment of her approach 'this gorgeous secretive girl emerging from the bush' and how I felt at the time. I hope the image makes you feel it too.

    Canon 5D MKIII
    Sigma120-300 f2.8 OS @300mm
    AV f4
    TV 1/2000
    ISO 1600
    Spot Metering
    Aperture and CS5

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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    very nice image,and I like the wide image,nice exposure and soft light,the leopard is sharp with good detail,and I love the look on its face.well done.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Dumay - Great intensity in the look she is giving you. Although my first inclination might have been to go portrait too, I like the wider shot and how it shows her coming through the bush. The only thing I might have done was moved her to one side or the other rather than having her centered in the frame.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Charleen Ratcliff's Avatar
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    Hello Dumay

    I think that every once in a while, the photog needs to throw away the rules and create an image that he/she 'feels'; I think this is one of those occasions.

    I like her centred, the wide shot, clarity and the look in her eyes. Super duper shot!

    Kind regards, Charleen

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Dumay great head on shot of this young lady , stunning low POV and you have some nice earthy color/tones extracted .Very pleasing overall contrast and tonality . If this was mine i would gone have slightly cooler in WB , not much , but this is just my view .
    I am not 100 % on the central placement of her , and the dark stuff on LHS is taking my attention more than it should , so as a consequence i would choose a different crop . But i really like that you have shot wider than you normally do , always good to experiment .

    TFS Andreas

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Dumay,

    great wide shot of this one. I like as well the pose and look. I agree what Andreas said about the dark tree trunk, it grabs the attention, if, sadly in our worlds not often happens, if it would not be there, the tree, the entered leo would suit great for me. The tree takes to much attention. Maybe with brighten it a tad more, smoothen..etc it won't grab to much of the attention.
    I wanna your job

    Have a great eve

    Ciao Anette

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    Default Repost

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    Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

    I have tried the suggestions above and I have reposted. Portrait crop. Brightened slightly(My thought) More space below, but still centred as I feel it works. Cooled the WB slightly. Levels adjustment, so I am sure it will look slightly different colour and tone wise to the OP.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Dumay - rp works well. Colors and warmth are largely personal preference so it should be what you prefer.

    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Dummy the IQ holds very well for the large crop , but i actually would prefer the wider view .I agree with Rachel regarding colors , all personal stuff !!
    Andreas

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    After looking at both your images, my eyes prefer the original post. I like seeing the extra environment. My first reaction is to look at the Leopard and be sucked into its stare. Then my eyes start to roam around and absorb the rest of the habitat. Very beautiful and compelling image Dumay. What an experience it must have been being there and locking eyes.

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Dumay,

    the vertical crop is not quite my thing with this one. I as well like more room.
    I tried a crop, did nothing on the colors, but lifted the darks in the tree trunk LHS, elli dung and RHS branch on the bottom. Maybe this works a tad better. I cropped right behind the little branches which come out of the LHS tree trunk. I than removed them out of the upper corner, they were disturbing. I left a little "left over" for you to see.
    Little exercise. maybe you like it that way. As said nothing done on colors at all.

    have a great day and still wanna swop jobs. May I come and help out for a few weeks months

    Ciao Anette

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    Thanks for taking the time to comment folks.

    Anette thanks for taking the time to rework the image and show me your thoughts. You have done a great job of lightening the trunk and removing the twigs in the upper LHC. I will still have to say I prefer the central placement of the OP to balance the image. I just feel the balance is off in your repost...But I suppose its subject to taste.
    I do prefer the colours of my OP to my RP

    BTW when I am looking for an apprentice I will let you know.... but you will have to be willing to work for free and live in a tent

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    No prob Dumay, forgot the center it can be cropped that way too. Lifting the darks takes away the attention a bit from the tree trunk.

    Have a great day

    Ciao Anette

    PS I love to sleep in a tent and I do not mind at all to get dirty

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Dumay, great call on going wider, try more, hard I know, but like you I find it easy to fall into those comfy slippers, but try more this year as this would really bolster your images.

    I much prefer the OP, love the head on stare, central placement and the environment, with all of it's twigs, branches etc. Because of the DoF, sharpness and gaze you over look the OOF grass that is leaning into view and on the chin, nothing you could have done, but it's all part of the scene. Not sure why you prefer Spot to Evaluated, but certainly based on the last few I am going to try more f/4, something I'm more hesitant on. Your call on colour, but I think just pegging back slightly the Tint, or magenta slider a fraction does help? The NR does add to the separation of the subject, but at 1600 I would try some images without it.

    Another cracking image Dumay.

    TFS
    Steve

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Hey Dumay
    I quite like the OP with the wider frame and central placement. The RP works, but looks a bit formulaic and according to what would be "expected" of most photographers.
    I may try and selectively add some vibrance/saturation to the leopard just to add some more separation/pop?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dumay, this is great as is and my vote goes for the OP - would not do any NR to the BG, not necessary IMO. This young female leopard stands out beautifully, love the wide shot and the inclusion of environment here, techs spot-on as far as I am concerned and that stare just penetrates the lens - awesome, my friend!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    I don't mind centered comps at all and this one works both as the OP and the repost for me. Nice clarity and detail and I like the muted surroundings.

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